Delivery device



2 1929. P. G. ROBINSON ET AL 1,740,552

DELIVERY DEVICE Filed June 1, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l uveNTdRs DELIVERY DEVI CE Filed June 1, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet .7 arge -J- a." G. 14/. 9 mm!) Patented Dec. 24, 1929 UNETED ETATES PATENT @FFICE PERCY GOTCH ROBINSON, TOM SARGENT, AND GORDON .VILLIAIvI FRENCH, OF WHITE- HALL, BRISTOL, ENGLAND, ASSIGNORS TO STRACHAH 8t HENSHAW, LIMITED, OF

WHITEHALL, BRISTOL, ENGLAND DELIVERY DEVICE Application filed June 1, 1927, Serial No. 195,814, and in Great Britain June 8, 1926.

This invention relates to the delivery of paper bags, packets, envelopes or other articles of a like character from a machine in which such have been made or operated upon in succession so that such may be appropriately collected, conveyed away or stacked by hand or mechanical means.

The invention is particularly suitable for use in connection with the delivery of bags or articles which possess little or inadequate stiffness on account of either of their form or the nature of the material of which they are constituted, from a machine or mechanism concerned with their manufacture or treatment. This invention also has reference to the collection or assemblage of articles of the above kind as they are delivered.

The delivery, collection and assemblage of this class of article at high speeds according to known methods and means is attended by considerable diiliculty, particularly when the articles are of very thin paper.

The invention is particularly applicable to the delivery of the plain folded bottom type of paper bags in their finished form and their assen'iblage and it will be convenient hereinafter to describe the invention and to treat the matter from this point of view.

The object of the invention is to avoid or to obviate difliculties which have hitherto arisen in the delivery and assemblage of pa per bags from a machine and to provide an improved method and means whereby the linished bags may be passed uniformly at a high speed from the machines in a manner suitable to their collection or assemblage.

The invention comprises a method of delivery from a bag machine (or means associated with the finishing of the article, such as drying) consisting in providing the articles with an artificial stiffness by imparting thereto a curvature or deformation, the axis or line of which is parallel to the line of move ment or in the same sense as the delivery.

The above method may comprise causing one part (for example the centre) of the bag to be elevated or depressed with relation to the normal plane thereof as, for example, by conveying the bag between tapes or other members located and adapted to function in different or intersecting or divergent planes.

It is preferred as a means for carrying out the above methods to employ travelling tapes for this purposes, a pair being provided for the sides of the bag, and for the central zone a third tape is located in a plane intersecting or divergent from the plane of other tapes towards the delivery point, so that the bag is progressively deformed as it travels to the delivery point.

According to the invention means may be provided in association with the tapes or other mechanism for delivering bags and the like from a pressingor dryin roller, (whether such delivery mechanism be of the kind indicated to curve or deform the bags or whether such be of known kind), to cause the bags as released to be deflected downwardly out of the path of the following bags so that the bags are prevented from tilting or the tail ends kept from rising in the way of the bags in rear. These means may comprise depressing wires or fingers or means having a pneumatic action upon the bags.

In conjunction with the deformation or troughing of the bags receiving means are provided for guiding the bags as delivered and positioning them upon a support for collection or in assembled relationship, comprising a member or device such as a bowl-shaped member adapted to present a surface corresponding with the deformation of the articles adapted to centre or guide the latter and defleet them downwardly. According to one form a rotary conical or bowl-shaped member is arranged in conjunction with a support or conveyor adapted to transport the articles transversely or laterally away from the delivery position as they are deposited and arranged by the bowl-shaped member.

The row of overlappingbagsmaybestacked or divided into piles or into a stepped formation by automatic means so as to render such capable of being readily handled or packed.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of devices according to one form of the invention illustrating means for delivering bags from a drying or pressing cylinder and means for collecting the delivered bags,

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view of a device for receiving bags in accordance with the invention and conveying them away from the delivery position in stepped relationship,

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view of an alternative means or modified form of means for conveying and stacking the bags delivered to the receiving means,

7 Figures 4 and 5 are, respectively, a diagrammaticplan and an end elevation of another form of means for conveying the bags away from the delivery position and arranging such in stacks or piles, and

Figure 6 is an enlarged transverse section taken on the line AA of Figure 1 and looking in the direction ofthe arrows.

In carrying the invention into effect according to one convenient mode, as applied by way of example to the delivery and collection or assembly of paper bags from a known form of drying or pressing cylinder 1, to which the bags pass from the bag-makingmachine (of which the delivery rolls are seen at 2 in Figure 1), a pair of suitable frames or supports 3 are provided for the delivery means according to the invention and positioned so that the bags are deflected from their course around the drying or pressing cylinder and delivered in an appropriate situation. The frames 3 are pivoted at 3 and have a screw adjustment 3" for varying the angular position of the frames so that-the direction of delivery of the bags may be altered as required- The cylinder 1 is provided with a belt or web 1 which conveys the bags from the delivery roller-s 2 of the bag machine, around the drying cylinder and thence to the delivery apparatus to be described hereafter.

Upon the frame orsupport rollers orpulleys are mounted. over which tapes or hands ofthe usual pattern areadapt'ed' to travel. If convenient, the tapes 1 employed in conjunction withthe web 1 for the conveyance of the bags from the bag machine may be continued or extended and utilized by the insertion of appropriate guide pulleys so that they may be passed around the pulleys of the delivery frame.

The delivery tape pulleys above mentioned are located so as to provide a pair of tapes below and supporting, the bags as they are deflected from the drying path, onebeing located beneath each lateral margin of the bag. If desired, each bag margin maybe provided with a pair of tapes, one below and another above, whereby additional control is afforded, but it will. be usually found adequate to provide a single tape beneath each bag margin to give the required support in two spaced vertical planes. 7

According to the arrangement shown in Figures 1 and 6 a pair of tapes 1 are adapted to deflect the bags from the cylinder 1 and are passed under a tape roller 4 and around a pair of pulleys 4 adj ustably positioned at the forward part of the frames 3. These tapes are adapted to support the bags while a second pair of endless tapes 5 for the upper side of the bags are provided around the roller 4 and travel round a pair of pulleys 5 adjustably supported at the forward end of the frames 3. The lower lap of the tapes 5 registers with the tapes 1 at the parts lying between the roller 4 and pulleys 4 so that the bags at the side margins are guided forward between the two pairs of tapes 1 and 5.

Between the planes of the side tapes (and preferably midway between) a third or central troughing tape 6 is provided which is carried by the roller 4 and a forward pulley 6* adjustably supported from the frame 3. The tapes 5' and 6 may be positively driven or they may be allowed to idle. According to the arrangement shown these tapes are caused to travel. by the roller 4 which receives rotational movement from the contact of the tape 1 The forward pulley 6 for the central tape 6 is adjusted so that the under lap of its tape in contact with the bags is depressed with relation to the plane of the side tapes 1 and 5 and lies in a plane intersecting or divergent to the plane of the side tapes.

it will be appreciated that as the bags passing from the drying or pressing cylinder 1 travel between the side and central tapes, each bag will be progressively given a central fold or curvature so that the bags, as delivered, will present an open U or V form as shown in Figure 6 and, consequently, will possess an artificial stiffness due to the reinforcement aiforded by the ridge form and may thus be rapidly delivered or shot with accuracy upon a receiving table.

At or near the point at which the bags leave the tapes means are provided for ensuring that the back or trailing end of a bag shall be deflected downwards or otherwise depressed so that it will not impede the next bag following it but will permit the bags in succession to slide over those previously delivered. These means comprise two or more spring members or fingers 3 mounted upon a rotatable shaft 3 provided with a handle 3 adapted to facilitate angular adjustment of the fingers or for raising or lowering the same. For the purpose of varying the longitudinally operative extent of the fingers or the amount of projection thereof, such may be slidably mounted in holes or slots in the shaft 3 or in bosses thereon and held by friction. set screws or other convenient means. Further means may be provided for adjust ing the lateral position of the fingers or for transferring such to dii'ferent lateral pcsi tions as a sliding boss or by the provision of a series of fixing holes or slots in the shat-It orin a sleeve thereon.

F or the reception of the bags it is preferred to provide a support having movement transverse or at right-angles to the line or direction of delivery. F or example, an endless belt conveyor 7 of canvas, rubber, or other material, may be employed for th pose and may be caused to travel at a up; suitable to effect or aid in the laying of bags in appropriate relationship.

The conveyor 7 mounted upon a pair of rollers '4' one of which has a pulley 7" and a chain wheel. 7 around which a chain 8 passed. The chain 8 is driven by a chain wieel 8 mounted (preferably adji' on the shaft 9, which may be convc: my rotated through worm gear 9 driven in turn from the bag machine.

It is preferred to dispose the conveyor ith its reception surface inclined towards the delivery device or mechanism in order to conform to some extent to the direction or angle at which the bags are delivered.

The conveyor rollers are mounted in brackets slidably carried on rods or rails 10 (which when the conveyor is to be on the tilt inclined after the fashion illustrated) so that the conveyor may be displaced towards or away from the delivery device for adj ment purposes and to accou'nnodat y of sizes of bags. One of the bracnets 10 of the conveyor may be extended upwardly to support a device (to be dee 'ibedhereina :9 adapted to rec ive and position the bags upon the conveyor.

ln order to receive the bags and ensure that they are laid upon the conveyor 7 in regular anal uniform order, a guide device in the form of a rotating truncated cone or bowl-- shaped element 11 of metal, wood, or other suitable material, is prov ded which is mounted with its axis parallel with the plane of the reception conveyor and substantially in line with or 'encral conformity to the axis of the curvature or line of f d imparted to the bags, the smaller end of the towards the delivery point. The angle or incline of the cone surface arranged so that the bags as received are directed and depressed or deflected downwardly by it u non the conveyor, the curved. or inclined sides of the bags engaging the conical or bowl-shaped surface somewhat at a tangent, whereby the cone acts as a centering or aligning device as the bass are received.

In Figure 6 a bag is shown lying around the cone just prior to being deflected onto the conveyor 7. It will be seen that the cone not only centres the bags as received by the tapes but ensures that the artificial sl'it c; afforded the bags is maintained while they are being deflected onto the convey n. T.

Any suitable means may be provided for all'ording rotational nmvement in the cone, the direction of rotation being in the same sense as the receiving conveyor and at a speed corresponding thereto, whereby the uniform arrangement of the bags in an overlapping row is assisted.

According to one suitable mode the cone member 11 is provided with an axial pin which is mounted in a block 11 supported in a vertical guideway carried by an extension of the bracket 10. The block is made adjustable vertically by aid of a screw and handwheel 11 The cone is provided with a pulley 11 which is driven by a belt from the pulley 7 The surface speed of the cone at its maximum diameter is substantially that of the moving conveyor and adjustment by the handwheei 11 is provided to give satisfactory pressure between cone and conveyor to ensure that the bags shall take up the side ways motion without losing their alignment or being otherwise displaced.

The base of the rotating cone is provided with a flange or disc 11 which is adapted to overlap the upper surface of the conveyor and act as a side stop for the delivered bags. In lieu of or in addition to the disc or g'e 11 upon the cone element, fixed or adjustable or moving stops may be provided on one or both sides of the conveyor or row of bags.

It will be observed that the cone element in conjunction with the conveyor movement causes the bags to be laid upon the conveyor in overlapping relationship such as represented in Figures 3 and 4 and 6. It is de sirable that means should be provided which will aid in the stacking or collection of the bags in predetermined quantities from the row laid out upon the conveyor, particularly as the devices described are capable of delivering and laying out bags at a very high rate of speed.

For this purpose a device may be provided adapted automatically to divide the row of bags into stepped piles or groups, each. of a predetermined number, so that the bags can be conveniently taken up by hand and removed; alternatively, the conveyor may discharge the bags to a piling or stacking device or to another conveyor or moving platform.

In Figure 2 a device is illustrated which divides the row of bags into stepped piles. A finger or a pair of fingers 12 are pivotally mounted at l2 on a stud having a depending arm 12* connected. to a spring controlled rocking arm 12. The arm 12 has a roller adapted to ride upon the cam 12 lt will be OlTJSQl'VQCl that on every revolution of the cam 12 the finger 12 is given a dipping movement on to the row of bags which is being formed under the cone 11. The finger dwells in the depressed position for a predetermined period and acts as a temporary stop to the moving bags in front of it, so that they form themselves into a pile. When the finger is raised by the cam the pile which has been formed by temporary stoppage now moves on when the finger again descends to form another pile, the action being continually repeated so that the row of bags moves sideways in stepped formation, or piles ready for picking up and removal.

In order to stack or pile the row of overlapping bags the conveyor may deposit the bags in succession upon a horizontally displaceable platform 13 or table with a part located at a lower level, the vertical position of which may be adjusted.

The bags are carried over the return pulley of the conveyor and are allowed to fall on to the table 18 which is of stepped form, a portion 18 being provided at a lower level,

The table is slidably mounted on guides 13 and is reciprocated by a cam 18 operating upon a pin or roller carried by a pivoted lever 13 connected to the table by link 13 A fixed stop bar 14 is provided under which the table slides.

As the bags fall from the conveyor a pile is formed during a period determined by the extent of the idle portion of the cam. The table is then withdrawn causing the pile to be deposited upon the part 13 by the stop bar 14. The table is rapidly returned to its initial position for the formation of another pile which is in turn deposited upon the part l3 while the previously deposited pile is removed.

Instead of providing a stepped portion to the table, another conveyor may be employed moving at right-angles to the reciprocation of the table 13 and at a lower level. in which case it is preferred that the conveyor be of a width to extend under the table 13.

In a modified form a fixed table may be provided and mechanical means provided, such as push rods, levers, rakes or the like, to remove the assembled pile of bags.

According to yet another modification (Figures i and 5) the conveyor 7 is adapted to deliver the bags on to another conveyor arranged at right-angles. This conveyor may be moved continuously and may have a separation or stepped piling device such as shown in Figure 2, but preferably it is given an intermittent movement having periods of rest while a pile is delivered and formed and periods of movement in which a fresh surface is presented for the formation of another pile. The coineyor 15 may be given a stepwise movement by a rack 15 reciprocated periodically from an appropriate moving part of the machine. The rack engages a pinion 15 on the conveyor roller shaft and pawl and ratchet 15 is employed to check retrograde movement.

In operation the bags lclivered by the rollers 2 of the bag machine fall upon the belt or web 1 and are carried between the latter and the tapes 1 around the cylinder 1. After having completed the major part of the circuit of the cylinder they are defl c'ted away by the tapes 1 and pass under the roller 4-, the margins of the ba s being helr between the upper sides or the tapes 1 and the under sides or the tapes 5. As the bags progress forwardly they come under the influence of the central tape 6 which, as already explained, gives a ridge formation or set to each bag so that it is reinforced or stiiiened. As the bags protrude from between the tapes they are shot beneath the cone member ll, raising and passing under the fingers 3 which react to serve to depress the trailing edge of each bag or to keep the tail end oi the bag from rising unduly and thus causing the obstruction of following 'lhe bags are received by the conveyor 7 and between the la ter and the cone element 11, which acts as a centering device and positions the bags upon the conveyor as they fall. The vertical height of the cone 11 is adjusted so that a suitable pressure may be exerted upon the bags and the rotation of the cone ele ent, in conjunction with the movement or the :eyor, cause them as they are received in succession to form a row (disposed in overlapping relationship) passing transversely away from the delivery position. The row of moving bags upon the conveyor 7 may be piled or arranged in superimposition and collected in any suitable manner, as for example, in one or other of the ways indicated and already described above with reference to Figures 2, 3, l and 5.

It will. be appreciated that the spring lingers 3 in addition to serving the purpose of deflecting the bags downwardly, also aid in maintaining the trough form of the bags and in some circumstances the central troughing tape 3 may be dispensed with and a single spring finger or a pair of spring fingers located adjacent the central plane of the bag, may cause the bag to be deformed into trough shape as delivered while at the same time the fingers ser e to depress the tail of the bag- Having now described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A device of the kind described for de livering and the like from a bag formin device comprising a bowl-shaped deflector adapted to receive the bags as delivered and in combination with a conveyor, onto which the bags are deflected.

2. A de *ice of the kind described for delivering bags and the like from a bag forming device comprising a rotary bowl-shaped deflector adapted to receive the bags as delivered, and a conveyor device upon which the bags are deposited by the deflector,

parted to the b gt, a travel -g face deflector adapted to receive the o l o and deflect them downwardly and a conveyor device adapted to ca ion of bags to deliver transversely to the direction in which they are received by the deflector.

i. A device of the kind described for delivering bags and the like comprising means for impar no to the bags a deformation the axis of which is aligned with the delivery movement whereby an artificial stiffness is impar to the bags, a rotary bowl-shaped deflector adapted to receive the bags as delivered and reflect them downwardly and a conveyor device adapted to cause progression of the to deliver transversely to the direction in which they are received by the deflector, the arrangement being such that the bags are laid on the conveyor in overlapping relation.

5. A device of the kind described for de livering bags and the like from a bag forming device, comprising a bowl-shaped deflector adapted to receive the bags as delivered and a conveyor, onto which the bags are defiected, for the deflector the of the deiiector and surface of the conveyor both being inclined upwardly.

6. in device of the kind described for delivering bags and the like comprising means for imparting to the bags a deformation the axis of whicn is aligned with the delivery movement whereby an artificial stiffness is in'iparte-d to the bags, a rotary bowl-shaped (lCllECllOl' adapted to receive the bags as delivered and maintain the trough formation and means for depressing the trailing ends of the bags as they leave the troughing delivery means.

i". A device of the kind described for deliv" ing bags and the like comprising means for parting to the bags a deformation the depress the bags and to aid in causing such to travel transversely away from the line of delivery, in combination with a conveyor adapted to move transversely to the direc tion of delivery of the bags.

9. A method of delivering bags of the kind described in succession, consisting in impart ing to them a deformation, the axis of which aligned with the delivery movement, whereby an artificial stiffness is afforded the bags, and receiving and positioning the bags upon the other in overlapping relationship by giving them as received a progressive movement away from the delivery position and transverse to the direction of delivery.

10. A method of delivering bags of the kind described in succession, consisting in imparting to them a deformation, the axis of which is aligned with the delivery movement, whereby an artificial stiffness is afforded the bags, receiving and positioning the bags one upon the other in overlapping relationship by giving them as received a progressive movement away from the delivery position and transverse to the direction of deliver and stopping the movement of certain of the for predetermined period to cause a stepped pile to be formed.

11. A device of the kind described for delivering bags and the like from a bag forming device comprising a bowl-shaped deflector adapted to receive the bags as delivered from the delivery means, and means for adjusting the deflector with respect to the delivery means.

12. A device of the kind described for delivering bags and the like from a bag forming device comprising a bowl-shaped deflector adapted to receive the bags as delivered an means for slidably mounting the deflector so as to be adjustable towards and away from the delivery means.

13. A device of the kind described for delivering bags and the like comprising reception means, means for delivering bags and the like thereto, means for supporting said reception means, said reception means com prising a member presenting, toward the direction from which the bags are delivered, an inclined part in the region of the axis of the delivery direction so that the bags may suecessively engage the inclined part about their middle while other portions of said member on either side of and receding from the inclined part permit the sides of the bag to assume a troughed shaped, the arrangement be ing such that the bags as received are centred and deflected downwardly.

M. A device of the kind described for delivering bags and the like comprising means for imparting to the bags a deformation the axis of which is aligned with the delivery movement whereby an artificial stiifness is imparted to the bags, means for delivering said bags to said first mentioned means and a deflector and support therefor, said deflector being adapted to receive the bags as delivered from said first mentioned means and maintain the bags in trough formation and deflect them downwardly.

15. A device of the kind described for deliveringbags and the like from a bag forming device comprising a bowl-shaped deflector adapted to receive the bags as delivered and deflect them downwardly, a support for said deflector and means for feeding the bags to said deflector.

16. A device of the kind described for delivering bags and the like from a bag forming device comprising means for delivering bags from said device, a travelling surface deflector and means voperatively connected to said deflector for imparting motion thereto, said deflector being adapted to receive the bags as delivered and deflect them downwardly.

17. A device of the kind described for delivering bags and the like from a bag'forming device comprising means for delivering bags from said device, a rotary bowl-shaped deflector and driving means operatively con nected thereto, the axis of said deflector being arranged in the same sense as the direction in which the bags are delivered, the deflector being adapted to receive the bags as delivered and deflect them downwardly.

18. A device of the kind described for delivering bags and the like from a bag forming device comprising means for delivering bags from said device, a bowl-shaped deflector and a support therefor, the axis of said defiector being inclined upwardly, said deflector being adapted to receive the bags as delivered and deflect them downwardly.

19. A device of the kind described for de livering bags and the like from a bag forming device comprising means for delivering bags from said device, a bowl-shaped deflector and support therefor, said deflector being adapt ed-to receive the bags as delivered and around which the bags are adapted to lie in trough formation, the bowl-shaped deflector having abase flange adapted to act as a stop for the movement of the bags in the direction in which they are delivered.

In testimony whereof we. have signed our names to this specification.

PERCY GOTCH ROBINSON. TOM SARGENT. GORDON WILLIAM FRENCH. 

